In some conventional game systems, a display screen is scrolled according to position coordinates of a player object. When the player object moves in the game (e.g., is transported on a specific block, for example), by scrolling a display screen up, an item which has been out of a display range and previously hidden from view is displayed, so that the item is presented to and can be seen by the player.
However, in some prior games, there is a problem that since scrolling is performed on the basis of only the position coordinates of the player object, after a state of the background is changed due to disappearance of some objects such as a block (e.g., caused by its destruction), even if the player object simply moves once again to a position where the disappeared object was present by jumping, the display screen is nevertheless scrolled. Accordingly, an item, which has become impossible to be reached due to the change of the game state is nevertheless scroll-displayed each time. Such scroll display is unnatural for advancing the game. Furthermore, in a case that the player moves the player object without intending to scroll, when the player object moves to the above-described position, the screen is largely affected by scrolling, potentially causing low operability and drudgery instead of play with ease.
A non-limiting exemplary illustrative implementation provides a game apparatus and a storage medium storing a game program capable of scrolling according to a state of a game, and realizing a natural screen display that is easy for a player to play.
A game apparatus according to an exemplary implementation displays on a display a background image larger than a display screen to be displayed on the display by scrolling. The game apparatus comprises an operating means, a background image generating means, a player object generating means, a contact object generating means, a position detecting means, a predetermined action determining means, a scrolling means, and a displayed data generating means. The operating means is operated by a player. The background image generating means generates a background image. The player object generating means generates a player object moving on the basis of an operation input from the operating means. The contact object generating means generates a contact object to be contacted by the player object. The position detecting means detects a position of the player object. The predetermined action determining means determines whether or not the player object performs a predetermined action on the contact object. The scrolling means differentiates between a first scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining means and a second scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is not performed by the predetermined action determining means in a case it is detected that the player object exists at a predetermined position by the position detecting means. The displayed data generating means generates displayed data for displaying on the display the display screen including the player object generated by the player object generating means and the background image generated by the background image generating means that exist within a display range scrolled by the scrolling means.
More specifically, in one exemplary illustrative implementation, a game apparatus displays on the display the background image larger than the display screen to be displayed on the display by scrolling. In the game apparatus, the operating means is operated by the player. A background image generator generates a background image. A player object generator generates a player object moving on the basis of the operation input from the operating means. A contact object generator generates a contact object to be contacted by the player object. A position detector detects the position of the player object. A predetermined action determiner (determines whether or not the player object performs the predetermined action on the contact object. A scroller differentiates between the first scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining means and the second scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is not performed by the predetermined action determining means in a case that it is detected the player object exists at the predetermined position by the position detecting means. Then, the displayed data generator generates the displayed data to display on the display the display screen including the player object generated by the player object generating means and the background image generated by the background image generating means that exist within the display range scrolled by the scrolling means.
Accordingly, when the predetermined action is not performed on the contact object by the player object, the first scrolling is not performed, and a second scrolling such as a normal screen position adjustment that is performed in association with the movement of the player object. After the contact object disappears to change a state of the background, for example, even if the player object moves once again to the position for operating the first scrolling such as displaying the item. out of the display range before the change of the state, the first scrolling is never performed. This can eliminate useless and unnatural scroll display on an item which it becomes impossible to reach due to the change of the state, and can eliminate screen shake and tedious game play. Therefore, according to the non-limiting exemplary implementation, it is possible to scroll in correspondence to a state of the game. Furthermore, it is possible to provide appropriate and natural image representations according to the action of the player object, capable of displaying a screen that is easy for the player to play.
In one exemplary non-limiting implementation, the scrolling means differentiates between the first scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining means and the second scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is not performed by the predetermined action determining means in a case that it is detected that the player object exists at a predetermined position in close to the contact object by the position detecting means. More specifically, when the player object exists at the predetermined position in close to the contact object, and performs the predetermined action on the contact object, the first scrolling is performed. That is, in this case, the player object directly performs the predetermined action on the contact object in close thereto, capable of performing a natural scrolling according to the action of the player object.
In another exemplary non-limiting implementation, the contact object generating means generates the contact object as a part of the background image. More specifically, when the player object performs a predetermined action on something displayed as a part of the background image, the first scrolling is performed. Accordingly, it is possible to perform a natural screen display according to the action of the player object. Furthermore, it is possible for the player to operate the first scrolling relatively easily.
In another exemplary non-limiting implementation, the contact object generating means generates a contact object as a moving object. More specifically, when the player object performs the predetermined action on something displayed as the moving object, the first scrolling is performed. Accordingly, it is possible to perform a natural screen display according to the action of the player object. Furthermore, the predetermined action with respect to the moving object can provide a relatively difficult operation. This makes the game challenging for the player, capable of improving interest in the game.
In a further exemplary non-limiting implementation, the scrolling means changes, in a case that it is detected that the player object exists at the predetermined position by the position detecting means, a scroll target in the first scrolling depending on an approach direction of the player object to the predetermined position. More specifically, the scrolling means (S45-S49) changes the scroll target in the first scrolling depending on the approach direction of the player object to the predetermined position. Accordingly, it is possible to perform varied screen displays according to the approach direction of the player object, capable of improving interest as a game.
In another exemplary non-limiting implementation, the contact object generating means generates the contact object of variable kinds. The scrolling means changes a scroll target in the first scrolling depending on a kind of the contact object when being determined that a predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining means. More specifically, the contact object of variable kinds is generated. Then, the scrolling means (S91, S93) changes the scroll target in the first scrolling depending upon the kind of the contact object when being determined that the predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining means. Accordingly, it is possible to perform varied screen displays depending on the kind of the contact object, capable of improving interest as a game.
In one aspect, a game apparatus further comprises a scroll control object generating means for generating a scroll control object arranged in association with the contact object and a scroll control information storing means for storing scroll control information in association with the scroll control object. In the game apparatus, the predetermined action determining means determines whether or not the player object performs the predetermined action on the contact object on which the scroll control object is arranged. The scrolling means controls the first scrolling on the basis of the scroll control information.
More specifically, the scroll control object generating means (40, 62c, S3) generates the scroll control object (114) arranged in association with the contact object. The scroll control information storing means (48, 52) stores the scroll control information (96, 98, 100) in association with the scroll control object. Then, the predetermined action determining means determines whether or not the player object performs the predetermined action on the contact object on which the scroll control object is arranged. The scrolling means controls the first scrolling on the basis of the scroll control information. Accordingly, the scroll control information is prepared in association with the scroll control object aside from the contact object, and the scroll control object is arranged with respect to the contact object only required for the scroll control, capable of decreasing a data volume.
The storage medium storing a game program according to this non-limiting implementation is a storage medium that stores a game program to be executed by a game apparatus which is provided with an operating means operated by a player, and displays on a display a background image larger than a display screen to be displayed on the display by scrolling. The game program makes the processor of the game apparatus executes the background image generating steps, the player object generating step, the contact object generating step, the position detecting step, the predetermined action determining step, the scrolling step, and the displayed data generating step. The background image generating step generates the background image. The player object generating step generates the player object moving on the basis of the operation input from the operating means. The contact object generating step generates the contact object to be contacted by the player object. The position detecting step detects the position of the player object. The predetermined action determining step determines whether or not the player object performs the predetermined action on the contact object. The scrolling step differentiates between the first scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining step and the second scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is not performed by the predetermined action determining step in a case that it is detected the player object exists at the predetermined position by the position detecting step. The displayed data generating step generates the displayed data to display on the display the display screen including the player object generated by the player object generating step and the background image generated by the background image generating step that exist within the display range scrolled by the scrolling step.
In one exemplary non-limiting implementation, the scrolling step differentiates between the first scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining step and the second scrolling when being determined that the predetermined action is not performed by the predetermined action determining step in a case that it is detected that the player object exists at a predetermined position in close to the contact object by the position detecting step.
In another exemplary non-limiting implementation, the contact object generating step generates the contact object as a part of the background image.
In the other exemplary non-limiting implementation, the contact object generating step generates the contact object as a moving object.
In a further exemplary non-limiting implementation, the scrolling step changes, in a case that it is detected that the player object exists at the predetermined position by the position detecting step, a scroll target in the first scrolling depending on an approach direction of the player object to the predetermined position.
In still another exemplary non-limiting implementation, the contact object generating step generates the contact object of variable kinds. The scrolling step changes a scroll target in the first scrolling depending on a kind of the contact object when being determined that a predetermined action is performed by the predetermined action determining step.
In one aspect, a game apparatus further comprises a scroll control information storing means for storing scroll control information in association with the scroll control object. The game program further makes the processor of the game apparatus execute a scroll control object generating step for generating a scroll control object arranged in association with the contact object. In the game program, the predetermined action determining step determines whether or not the player object performs the predetermined action on the contact object on which the scroll control object is arranged. The scrolling step controls the first scrolling on the basis of the scroll control information.
In these storage mediums storing the game programs also, it is possible to scroll in correspondence to a state of the game as in the above-described game apparatus, capable of performing a natural screen display that is easy for the player to play.
According to an exemplary non-limiting implementation, the scrolling is controlled not only on the basis of the position of the player object but also on the basis of the presence of the predetermined action with respect to the contact object, capable of scrolling in correspondence with a state of the game. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a natural screen display that is easy for the player to play.
The above described objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of an exemplary non-limiting implementation will become more apparent from the following detailed description of an exemplary non-limiting implementation when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.